Here’s the scoop: I’m juggling 2 bazillion projects this year (some of which you’ll be hearing about soon) and I’m so overwhelmed this summer that it’s a tiny miracle that I’m able to wrangle enough brain cells to write this at all.

Quick story: I donated blood the other week and during the rigorous interview to make sure I was safe to give up a pint of blood, I got so confused that the tech and I started joking that I was going to be turned away from donating because I was just too dumb. Really, my brain is that compromised from multitasking related-stress. Don’t worry. In the end they took me and my befuddled blood. And I enjoyed getting to lie down for a few minutes. Plus, free cookies! I highly recommend donating blood if you need a break from work.

Here’s the thing, stuff is only getting busier for the next two months, so despite the fact that I’m dying to write stuff here, I just CAN’T. Grad school, presentations for work, dog #2 in physical rehab (yep, it’s Boogie this time – more on that later), and a sorta secret project will do that to a gal.

These days I’m working at finding the positive – noticing the pear, if you will- so I want to tell you what I CAN do:

Give you stuff!

That’s right. To celebrate my inability to write a substantial blog post, I’ve got a deal just for you! I’ve been feeling bad about not hanging out here with you guys, so I asked my friend Heather who own Fit For A Pit if she could hook y’all up with a deal. Heather, Champion of Generosity that she is, said “Hells Yeah I can do that!” and thus the DINOS discount was born.

Take $10 off any purchase of $20+ now through July 31st!*

All you have to do is use the coupon code: DINOS

*Limit one per customer (because we don’t want to put Heather out of business)

Despite the name of her store, Fit For a Pit carries stuff that ALL dogs love. But if you do happen to have a blocky-headed, chesty, bull of a dog, they carry products that fit. My dog Birdie – not a pit bull – can’t fit into anything because she’s really busty (she got that from me), but that’s no problemo here!

Let’s do some window shopping together, before you head over to grab your discounted loot, ok? Here are just a few of my favorite products that Fit For a Pit carries:

There’s tons more cool, high quality stuff, like Doggles, backpacks, Chilly Dog sweaters, sunscreen, and even the Freedom No-Pull Harness. You can take $10 off on all of this stuff! Frankly the chance to get a flirt pole on the cheap or restock your Spray Shield at a discount is enough to head on over there and get clickin’, ammirite?

Heather carries just about everything I’ve been sharing with you all these years, so I’m genuinely happy to be connecting all of you to her store. You may be wondering, savvy consumers that you all are, is this an affiliate partnership? Why yes it is smarty! If you’re counting, I now have two affiliate partnerships: this one and Your End of the Lead.

When Heather started accepting affiliates, I asked to join her program. I want to shop from a small family business like Heather’s (instead of big anonymous drone-loving Amazon) when I can and I’m happier when I can link to small businesses here too. Heather has been involved in dog rescue for years and goes out of her way to support animal welfare groups, so I’m super proud to be working with her and supporting her business.

If you use the links in this blog to visit the store, I make a buck or two. But guess what, if you’re not into that, you can visit the store without using my links and you still get the $10 off with the DINOS code. Wheee!

Wait, a sec….now what was I talking about? I believe that we will win! Where are my pants?

Oh yeah, you guys get $10 off this month. Say what?! That’s really generous of you Heather. Thanks pal!

But hold on, that’s not all. Next week come on back to look for a secret giveaway here on the blog. One of you is going to win one of my favorite new products…

Okay okay, you beat the secret giveaway right out of me: it’s a hands-free belt from Squishy Face. Next week I’ll share my experience testing the belt out on my dog walks and you can enter to win one!

See, life is good for you guys when I feel guilty about not writing anything new. My loss (of sanity) is your gain. Hip hip hooray!

I just listened to the audio version of Into Thin Air, which had me running to Netflix to watch the IMAX Everest movie. And I’m currently laughing my way through Sister, Mother, Husband, Dog by Delia Ephron. What about you?

There are a million ways to prevent dog bites. Fortunately dogs aren’t really into biting us all that much. Did you know there are more than 70 million dogs in this country? That’s a lot of teeth. And yet, they rarely use ‘em on us, even when we act like fools. But occasionally, due to a variety of factors, dog bites do happen.

One of the ways that we can prevent dog bites is by thinking about space.

Specifically, how we take space from dogs.

When I started talking about Dogs in Need of Space a few years ago, I was looking for a simple way to communicate that all dogs have a right to their personal space and we should do what we can to avoid taking that space from them without permission.

Dog bite prevention tips are often about space (even if that’s not how they’re framing them). That’s cuz how we give and take space can influence the likelihood of a dog tasting us. Let me show you how space plays a role in reducing dog bites:

Body Language: The way we move our bodies can help change how dogs are feeling about a situation. For example, we can take a step back, turn our bodies sideways, or crouch down toreduce the amount of spacewe take up and appear less threatening.

This week I was charged by a loose and under-socialized dog. I slowed my pace and turned my body 3/4 away from the dog to minimize the confrontation. I rocked my weight back, avoided looking directly at the dog, and kept my hands at my sides. I gave him as much space as I could in that moment through my body language. I got sniffed and he left.

Dear human, I am watching you carefully for clues.

Leash Laws: Using a leash helps to create space between your dog and other dogs or people (including the elderly and the disabled). When we leash our dogs and keep them by our sides as we pass others it maximizes the amount of space between both parties. This allows the person or the other dog, who may not appreciate meeting another dog while they are on leash, the opportunity to pass by calmly.

Leash laws can reduce bites between dogs, but also to humans (since we’re the ones who usually get bit when we try to intervene in a dog-dog brouhaha).

Not leashing your dog and allowing it to approach another dog or a person without their permission robs others of their personal space. When that happens, many dogs and people will act in ways that will increase the likelihood of a bite (think: screaming, running away, and hitting or threatening your dog).

Proper Containment: Dogs that are properly contained on their property cannot escape to chase passing dogs and people. When we keep our dogs on our property using a fence, a lead, or a rock solid recall/proper supervision, we can create enough spacebetween our dogs and passing pedestrians, playing kids, dog walkers, etc., so that they can all whiz by safely and without incident.

The other day while I was walking two dogs, I was chased by a loose dog that was not happy that we were walking by his lawn. I retreated into the street and up the block a bit to give him as much space as possible. I did not want him to feel as though we were in “his” space and that he had to protect his property. He followed us for 3 houses, then turned back. I gave him space, but I was at risk. You know what would have been a safer way to give that dog space near his property? A fence.

Guard Wieners say: We see you. Just keep moving and no one gets hot dogged.

Being Polite: Every single time you pause to ask permission when meeting an unfamiliar dog you are creating space on multiple levels. You’re creating physical spaceby stopping your body/hands/your dog from moving forward without an invitation. You’re creating the space to observe by allowing enough time to look at the dog’s body language for clues about how the dog really feels about meeting you or your dog. You are creating the space for a response by allowing the dog and the other owner time to respond to your request, which might be “no”. In which case, you are giving them the space to leave.

Seriously, just being polite and respectful by asking first is a real winner in the preventing bites category.

Kids and Dogs: When we teach kids that they are not to go near the dog when it’s eating or chewing a bone, we’re teaching them to give a dog space. Same goes for teaching them not to use dogs as full body bean bag chairs, not to hug them, not to approach loose or chained dogs, and also to get the heck out of the dog’s crate. It’s all about teaching kids to respect the dog’s space.

Avoiding Surprises: If you are a jogger or cyclist, please give dogs physical space by not zooming right up on them. When you make a wide arc around them, you maximize the space between you. Dogs are dogs – they don’t understand why you are running full tilt right at them. When they are surprised by your approach, it increases the likelihood of a bite. Even the best behaved, most well socialized dogs can have a bad moment when they are surprised by having you suddenly in their space.

Good Management: Making good choices gives our dogs the space they need to succeed. When we have guests come over, workmen, unexpected deliveries, etc. we can give our dogs the space they need to feel safe by using crates, gates, leashes, and old-fashion doors to separate them from people. Same goes for on-leash walks. You may need to say “no” when someone tries to approach your dogs. You’re making a smart choice, so don’t worry if it pisses someone else off. You’re in charge of doing your best to create the space your dog needs to succeed. Always stand up for them.

Rocket Ships: Or, we can forget everything I said and just put us all on a rocket. Blast us into space. The dogs would miss us, but we’d prevent lots of bites if we were on Mars. Also, would I get to hangout with Neil DeGrasse Tyson if we were all in space? That would be so rad.

This here is a BAD ASS.

Wrapping it all up: The next time you’re with dogs and not sure what the best thing to do would be, you can ask yourself: Am I giving space or taking it away? How can I create space so that everyone stays calm and safe?

And so, another Dog Bite Prevention Week comes to a close here on Notes from a Dog Walker with this thought:

SPACE: It’s not just about the cosmos, it’s also a great way to prevent a lot of dog bites.

Psssst. Come here. I want to tell you something. Just between you and me:

You’re missing out.

I know because I see you while I’m out walking dogs every day. You’re walking your dog too, but you’re not really there.

Your dog knows it. I see them looking at me and I smile at them, hoping you’ll notice me noticing them and then realize that at the end of your arm is a leash attached to everything you’re busy chasing somewhere else. You really matter to your dog, you know. If you pay attention, you might feel how important and appreciated you are. It feels real good.

I see you with your head down, eyes fixed on your phone’s screen, one arm fully extended behind you. You’re not aware that you’re dragging your dog along who is trying to sniff something very important. When you get home, maybe you realize that you forgot to pay attention to your dog the whole time you were out. It’s almost as if that walk never happened.

How did I get here?

You’re missing out. I know because I used to miss out too. I was so caught up in my thoughts or in a phone conversation that I ended every walk feeling uneasy. Unsatisfied. Disconnected. Like I hadn’t been there at all. I wasn’t. I was everywhere but where I was: walking the dog outside.

Over more than a decade of walking dogs every day, I’ve learned how good it feels to be totally present, as best I can, during my walks. I’m happier, less stressed, and not to toot myown horn but: TOOT! The dogs think I’m the best when I’m paying attention.

No matter how crummy stuff might be in other areas of my life, when I’m fully in the moment I notice amazing things about the world around me, the people in it, and the dogs next to me. I wind up feeling grateful for all these nuggets of greatness sprinkled around me. Plus, I know that no matter what happens on the walk, I was totally there for my dogs.

I don’t want to get all yoga pants on you, but what I’m talking about is mindfulness. It’s not always easy to pay attention on purpose, but it feels hella good when you drop into it. Not sure how? Your dogs are great mindfulness teachers.

As Eckhart Tolle says, in one of my favorite books Guardians of Being, illustrated by Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell, “Millions of people who otherwise would be completely lost in their minds and in endless past and future concerns are taken back by their dog or cat into the present moment, again and again, and reminded of the joy of Being.”

I want you to try it. Put down the phone. Stop having an imaginary argument with the clerk at the DMV in your head. Tune in to what’s happening right now. Stop trying to distract yourself or multitask. Pay attention. Be fully present to yourself, your dog, and the world around you.

19. The feel of moss on a city wall. Touch it:

22. The squirrel your dog just spotted and is going to launch itself at in a second.

23. The chance to say “Yes! Good boy!” when he decided to ignore the squirrel, like you taught him.

24. The flowers, the grass, the whole shebang:

Spotted in Maine

This is just some of it. There’s so much more, but you gotta put down the phone, let go of the endless conversations you’re having in your head, and pay attention to everything around you. It’s worth it. Promise.

Life is one dog walk at a time. Don’t miss it.

Have you ever signed up for an online class, but never got around to doing a thing with it? You’re in the right place. We’re gonna talk about online class accountability today.

Hold up, first I’ve got a plug (and for once, I’m not talking about dog hair in the drain):

Your End of the Lead is a new online class for owners of reactive dogs. This is a self-paced class and the materials – all 15 lessons – will be available to you for an entire year from the time you sign up. That means that you can sign up now, get 6 months of free access to the online community The ACE Owner’s Club, and start taking the course when you have time to really dig into it.

Taking an online, self-paced course is awesome because you can do it at, you know, your own pace. But let’s be honest: sometimes our pace turns out to be…never. If you’ve ever registered for an online class and not actually taken it, then we have something in common.

Somewhere out there lives an entire village of untaken, unopened class lessons on everything from: How to Excel at Selfies When Your Arms Are Short to How to Make a Million in 30 Days Selling Miniature Soap Sculptures of Jon Hamm on a Motorcycle.

Won’t you please take your online class for this poor fella’s sake?

I don’t want you to buy a class and not take it. I want you to benefit from YEL or your soap sculpting class. I take a LOT of online classes and over the years I’ve figured out how to stay accountable, so that I actually get something out of them.

In honor of the final days of the YEL sale, I wanted to share a few tips with you guys! Here we go:

1. Enroll with a Friend: Ask a friend or colleague with similar interests to take the class with you. Start the course at the same time and make a schedule together, so that you’re both progressing through the lessons at about the same pace. Then hold each other accountable by planning to discuss it on a regular basis. You can do this in person over brunch or by email. Or try a quick daily check-in message (“DONE!”) with no need for a reply to one another.

Have a lot of friends? Ask a bunch of them to enroll in the class and make it a work project or a book club-like event.

2. Go Public: We’re more likely to stick to our commitments when other people know about our goals. Tell people in your life that you’re taking the class and what you hope to achieve. Make it known.

You can also use social media to hold you accountable. Sometimes just the act of posting your goals and progress to an audience is enough to keep you plugging away. If you want to raise the stakes a little, try an online site like SticKK where you can get a community of people to hold you accountable to your commitments and cheer you on. You can even put money down on yourself – fail to reach your goal and you forfeit the money (to charity – yay!).

3. Create Content: Bloggers, this one is for you. As a spin off to #2, if you already have an audience, think of the class you’re taking as content fodder. It can be tough to find new things to write about every week. Use the structure of the class to create new content. You can write weekly posts to correspond with each lesson and share your progress. Or your can write a wrap-up post when you finish the class to share what you’ve learned. Announce to your readers early on that you’re in class. Knowing your readers are waiting for your thoughts on the topic will help keep you in school.

4. Schedule It: Before you get started, look at your calendar and life. Is this the right time to start or should you wait a couple of months to dive in? Where can you block out time each week to do the lessons?

Plan to start the course when you feel like it’s realistic for you, but then stick to it by blocking out time in your calendar to do the work. Make a commitment to start each lesson on a specific date and mark down any live calls or webinars. Do this in advance – so your schedule reflects your commitment.

I can never get enough of these chickens. They really speak to my soul, you know? (source)

5. Set Intentions and Goals: Be clear about why you’re taking the class. We’re all so busy and have a trillion things pulling at our attention. Reflect on why you really hit “buy now!”, so you know why you’re willing to pass up New Girl reruns to do the homework.

Here’s a question to help you figure out your intention for the class: What do you hope to be able to do differently because of this course? Try to be specific.

Once you know why you’re in class, set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based) to help you get there.

For those of you interested in Your End of the Lead, there’s a place just for this called the Take Action forums (part of the ACE Owner’s Club). Janet, the instructor, writes, “The Take Action forum is intended to help you set personal goals and get support from the community to achieve them. This works best if you identify a clear, specific and actionable goal that can be achieved in a reasonable timescale (usually weeks rather than months).”

Here’s an example: I will complete the 15 lessons in the Sculpting Hunky Stars From Soap course over the next four months so that I can improve my Jon Hamm soap miniatures and start charging double for them. To do this I will spend 20-30 minutes per day, after work but before dinner, doing the practice lessons and whittling tiny abs out of Ivory bars.

Now that’s a SMART goal.

So that’s it folks – a few ideas for how not to fall off the online-class wagon! What about you? Do you have any tricks or tips for staying accountable and engaged in online classes? Share them in the comments so we can all benefit from your knowledge!

So, the other day I told you guys that Your End of the Lead is now being offered as an on-demand online class and that I’ve partnered up with the creator Janet Finlay, to offer you a great deal on the class through April 30th, 2014.

I had some questions about the class and I figured you’d want to know the answers too, so I put together this interview with Janet for all y’all.

Wait a sec! Before you start reading, there’s a contest too. You can win a free spot in the class! Details are at the end of the interview. But check out the Q+A first (you might learn something):

Jessica: You’re a certified dog trainer, but Your End of the Lead isn’t a training course. Why did you choose to focus on addressing the human end of the leash?

Janet: In my work as a trainer, I was regularly meeting people who were stressed out by their dog’s behaviour. They could no longer even enjoy going for a walk with their dog and often things were also difficult at home so they had no break from it. Even the most committed owners, who were working really hard to help their dogs, were telling me they felt guilty because of what their dog couldn’t do and many felt that it was their fault. And of course well-meaning people – even trainers – often reinforce that feeling by saying things like “he’d be better if you could just relax…” – but of course you can’t just “switch off” all that stress. So it becomes a vicious circle that leaves people feeling useless and isolated.

While there is a lot of help out there for how to train your dog, I couldn’t find much specifically helping people with this problem. As a qualified coach for people, I know that reframing the way we think about a problem can fundamentally change how we respond to it. And as a TTouch practitioner, I have a whole toolbox of techniques for reducing tension and stress. So I put together a face-to-face “Your End of the Lead” workshop, which was very popular – and later this online course.

J: The new version of the course is “on demand.” Can you describe what that means and how that’s different than the full support version?

Janet: I’ve run Your End of the Lead Online twice now as a fixed session course, where all the students start at the same time and work through the lessons at the same time, as if they were in a class. This works really well but limits numbers and isn’t very flexible. Each time I have run it I have had people ask if it was it possible to do the course at a different time or to fit their particular schedule – and up to now this hasn’t been possible – partly because I feel strongly that online courses are next to useless if they just provide content without any support structures to help students actually complete the course. But I’ve now come up with a support package that will allow people to choose to do the course when they want but without being left to do it alone.

So with the On Demand version you get the whole course immediately and you can follow it at your own pace and in your own time. You’ll get prompts by email reminding about the course, there’s a Q&A page, and I’m running monthly webinars to answer questions live. And as a bonus I am also including 6 months’ membership of my private online community, so that people can discuss what they are doing on the course with other students, past and current. And I’m there daily too. So I am confident that the On Demand package has the flexibility people wanted, but without losing the support that is so important.

J: You’re a TTouch practitioner. Can you tell us a bit about TTouch and why it’s included in YEL?

Janet: TTouch is a very respectful and gentle training approach that recognizes the connection between physical state, emotional state, and behaviour. It uses a combination of observation, light body work, body wraps and leading exercises to increase an animal’s awareness of themselves, to reduce physical tension and to shift them out of habitual responses. It is well known as a way of calming dogs (and people – it works on any animal that has a nervous system), but it can also help change behaviour by improving the animal’s physical and emotional balance.

It’s included in Your End of the Lead because it offers a really valuable set of tools for owners of reactive dogs. It can really help with stress reduction for both dogs and people – it can reduce the overall level of stress, as well as providing tools to help owners calm themselves and their dogs before, during and after challenging incidents. It is also a great foundation for other forms of training as it reduces physical tension, pain and postural imbalance, all of which can make behavioural issues worse. And the leading and handling techniques we use in TTouch really enable people to keep a loose lead and avoid introducing the tension in the lead that can often trigger reactive behaviour.

Photo credit: David J Laporte on Flickr – CC-BY 2.0 license

J: What does it mean for a dog to be out of balance in their body – particularly for dogs that are fearful or aggressive? How does TTouch help?

Janet: A dog may be out of physical balance in many ways. They may have tightness in the muscles, which limits free movement and results in stiff posture. They may be weighted unevenly, so they are putting more stress on one or more limbs. They may have poor awareness of some parts of their body, so they may appear uncoordinated. They may have tension in the body that makes them uncomfortable about being handled or touched in that area. They may be out of balance for lots of reasons – such as old injuries, their physical conformation or life experiences – or we can inadvertently throw them out of balance by the way we lead them (pulling into a collar for instance or holding their head up and back).

These physical issues affect how a dog feels and how they behave. For example, if a dog is tight in the neck and head, so that their posture is stiff and their head carriage inflexible, they can be reactive when approached and their posture is also more challenging for other dogs. If we can reduce that tension then we not only make them more comfortable and less defensive, but we also change their posture to make them less threatening to other dogs. Fearful dogs often have tension in the hindquarters and tail – again we can release that tension and enable more relaxed posture.

TTouch helps because it gives us a set of tools to work on these physical and postural issues and ways of leading and handling dogs to encourage them to stay in balance.

J: I love the sections of the class that cover human psychology – from why people invade our dog’s space to how our own thinking can get in the way of positive changes.

One lesson covers the power of language and labels. With DINOS, I’ve tried to give people a more neutral or positive label for their dogs, but as you say in one of the YEL lessons, all labels (positive and negative) can affect our behavior and thinking about our dogs. I agree! Can you share a little more about that idea?

Janet: When we label our dogs it can make it more difficult for us to see them clearly. We tend to interpret their behaviour according to our labels. So if we call our dog “stubborn”, for instance, and they stop in a particular situation, we are likely to think it is because they are being stubborn and so may miss the fact that they are actually frightened.

The same happens with positive labels. How many people tell us their dogs are “friendly” when in that moment they are being rude and inappropriate? Positive labels can also be deceptive.

So I would rather ditch labels altogether and focus on learning to be more observant of actual behaviour. That way we don’t fall into a fixed mindset about our dogs. We can see them as they are in any given moment and can more easily notice when they change. And we can respond to how they are actually behaving rather than to what it is we think they are.

J: If there’s one thing you want DINOS families to know about the YEL class, what would it be?

Janet: Just one thing?

That it is possible to enjoy being out and about with your dog – even if he or she can be reactive.

The secret to being able to relax is to know you are able to manage any situation you find yourself in calmly and confidently. This is what Your End of the Lead aims to do for you. It will complement whatever training you are doing to work with your dog, by making you a more aware, calmer and more effective handler, enabling you and your dog to really make progress.

Thank you Janet!

Want to sign up for Janet’s class?

You can register for Your End of the Lead using the DINOS affiliate link. Through April 30th, the class is only $99! That’s a savings of 40% off the normal price of $165.

There’s more – you’ll also score a free 6 month membership to Janet’s ACE Owner’s Club which offers a ton of extra support, monthly training challenges, and a community forum. All for $99.

Update May 1st: The “early bird” special is now over, but you can still register to take Your End of the Lead anytime! For $165 you’ll get all 15 lessons, monthly webinars, and 6 months FREE access to the ACE Owners Club. A great deal!

And here’s the CONTEST!

The contest has ended – thanks to everyone who entered. Congratulations to Val Appiani and her dog Lilly – they won the free YEL class!

Leave me a comment answering the question below and one lucky person will be chosen to win registration to Your End of the Lead for free! And, because so many of you have registered already, we want to open it up to you too. If you’ve already paid for the class and you win the contest, Janet will refund your $99 so you can take the class for free. So everyone gets to play. Neat, right?

Leave a comment between now and Wednesday, April 23rd at Midnight EST. One comment will be chosen at random and the winner will be announced here and on the DINOS Facebook page on Thursday, April 24th. Please make sure your comment or gravatar includes your email contact info, so we can notify you directly as well!

Your End of the Lead is being offered, for the first time ever, as an on-demand online class. And to celebrate, I’ve partnered up with the founder, Janet Finlay, to offer you some really sweet deals.

This unique online course will change how you think about yourself and your reactive dog.

First things first.

What is Your End of the Lead?

This is not a training class. Your End of the Lead was designed to complement the training you’ve done or are already doing with your dog. Created and taught by professional dog trainer, coach, and Tellington Touch practitioner Janet Finlay of Canine Confidence in Wales, this is for YOU. The lessons are there to help you become a more aware, calmer, confident, and effective handler.

I’m really excited to share this class with you guys.

For a long time, I’ve wanted to offer Team DINOS (that’s you!) something more than what’s on my website and social media, like: an online forum, classes, support groups, a junior prom, and at least one national holiday.

But I know my limitations. I’ve never felt comfortable creating and offering those particular kind of resources. Still, I knew there was a gap and I really wanted to fill it because many of you need more support. I wanted so badly to offer it to you!

So imagine how stinking happy I was when Janet started offering her online class Your End of the Lead last year and I began hearing from her students that they loved it. Janet let me audit the course a few months ago and in all 15 lessons, you could hear me shouting at my computer “Amen!!” and “I meant to write about that for DINOS!” and “Oohh, that’s a great idea!”

I immediately started putting some of her suggestions to use, particularly her calming practices. And not just when I’m dog walking. It’s good stuff for all the time.

This looks nothing like me and my dogs, but HIGH FIVE y’all!

Your End of the Lead covers, in depth, a lot of what I just touch on over at DINOS, along with other stuff we never really get into – thanks to Janet’s TTouch and dog training expertise. So if you find DINOS helpful, I think you’ll really dig YEL.

YEL covers everything from understanding your dog’s triggers and thresholds to dealing with other dog owners out in public to learning TTouch wraps and breathing exercises to help you relax. Each lesson is overflowing with information, thought provoking prompts, and exercises for you to try.

Janet is really talented. She put all of this together in such a professional, yet compassionate way.

That’s why I’m promoting the class as an affiliate partner. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to all of you, so I don’t take promotions or sharing other people’s work lightly. I hope you know how much I want things to be better for you and your dogs. I think this class can help many of you.

If you’re stressed out by your dog’s reactive behavior, this course is designed for you.

Ready to sign up right now? Don’t let me stop you! Hop on over to the DINOS affiliate page to learn more about the class and register now.

Living with a reactive or fearful dog can be really hard and isolating. Maybe you’ve gone to dog training classes already, but found there really isn’t anything out there that directly supports you. Now there is! Your End of the Lead is really special in that it addresses your needs. And you can take the class on your schedule, at home, no matter where you live.

Increase your awareness of yourself and your dog

Teach you how to be calm under pressure

Show you how to handle your dog with kindness and confidence

Not sure if you should take the class? Go on over to this page and watch Janet’s special video just for Team DINOS to hear more from her about why this class rocks and how the lessons are formatted. You can also access a free sample lesson on TTouch.

Who is this class for?

This class is for you if any of the following apply:

You live with a dog that is reactive, fearful, anxious, or aggressive.

You want to learn relaxation techniques that you can apply to yourself and/or your dogs.

You work with owners of reactive, fearful, aggressive, or anxious dogs and you want to learn new skills to help dog owners stay calm while working with their dogs.

I think most folks would benefit from the class. Even if you’re already an experienced dog trainer or have owned reactive dogs for years, I bet there’s more than a few week’s worth of lessons that will be fresh material for you. Like Lesson Five on Limiting Beliefs or Lesson Ten on Practicing Calm. This is not your average class about living with dogs.

But it’s not for everyone. You’ll only get out of it as much as you put into it. There are no magic potions or quick fixes offered in this class. You have to dedicate time to each lesson. You still have to do dog training and management. You have to be interested in exploring your relationship with your dog.

Ahh, I feel better already!

Thinking about signing up?

Just for you! A special DINOS offer:

The class is normally $165. But for the next two weeks, through April 30th, the class is only $99.

That’s 40% off the normal price.

You’ll get 15 lessons that include multimedia teachings, weekly prompts, monthly live webinars with Janet, and so much more.

You’ll even get 6 months of FREE access to her ACE Owners Club. This club has additional resources and mini training challenges, as well as a private community forum where all of her students – past and present – support each other.

Starting May 1st, the class goes back to $165, so why not sign up now and save 40%?

Here’s the thing: even if you don’t have time to take the class right now, you’ll have access to the course materials for a full year. So you can buy it now to save some dough, then start the class when you have the time to devote to it.

Update May 1st: The “early bird” special is now over, but you can still register to take Your End of the Lead anytime! For $165 you’ll get all 15 lessons, monthly webinars, and 6 months FREE access to the ACE Owners Club. A great deal!

Bonus time!

The first 10 people to sign up using the DINOS link will win a FREE 40 minute, private Skype coaching session with Janet so you can discuss your questions related to the class and your dog’s reactive behavior. For real! Watch the video here and at the end, she’ll tell you more about the one-on-one session 10 lucky people will win. All 10 spots have been filled! Thanks to everyone who has registered so far. For those of you that won the free session, enjoy your time with Janet! If you’ve missed out on this bonus don’t worry – there is still lots of opportunity to get feedback and support through the ACE forum and the monthly webinars – all included in the course fee.

You can only get these offers – the $99 price and a chance to win a free session with Janet – through the DINOS affiliate link, so be sure to access the YEL registration page through the links provided here, ok?

Do you have questions about the class? Take a look at Janet’s class page and watch her video for more info. I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have here in the comments section too. And stay tuned – I’ve got an interview with Janet coming in a few days that you won’t want to miss!

Note: Since it’s Volunteer Appreciation Week, I thought I’d share an older piece I wrote a few years ago for StubbyDog (where I was a volunteer myself!). It was originally published Oct. 2011. Be back with new stuff soon!

They’re there first thing in the morning, ready to walk the dogs. In the snow, rain, heat, they put on their sneakers, grab their treat bags and show up. “Hi guys! Who wants to go out for a walk?” they smile and get to work.

No matter what, if the dogs are at the shelter, so are they.

They show up to clean the kennels, wash the bodies, train the newbies, take the photos, do the laundry, update the website, repair the building, stuff the Kongs, sew the adoption vests, mow the lawn, man the event tables, post the Petfinder bios, massage the bodies and hold the weary.

They open their hearts to the endless stream of dogs pouring in through the shelter doors. Bonding with new souls, in just a few minutes, on the kennel floor. Promising, “It’s going to be OK” and hoping that it’s true.

They come as reliably as the sun rises, lifting the spirits of the dogs and shelter staff with their presence. They keep coming, so strong of heart, to care for the orphans.

Photos by Melissa Lipani

They are the worker bees, absolutely essential to the bustling hive that is the shelter. They work together towards a common goal: saving more lives.

They discover that they themselves have found a home among the temporarily homeless.

The work is tough, but they feel uplifted, empowered, and proud. They are contributing to a cause, making a difference in every single life they touch. A community is discovered, new friends are made, a purpose is revealed, a fire is lit!

Then it happens: An adoption. A dog that they helped keep sane, that they walked, bathed and loved on has been chosen. They shout it from the rooftops: “Charlie went home today!”

Payment for all their hard work.

Dedicated, compassionate, strong; their energy fills the halls and helps heal the dogs as they wait for new beginnings.

They are an army of love, lifting up the shelters and rescues, on their strong shoulders.

Spring. It’s right around the corner. At least, that’s what the calendar tells me. We just got a bunch of snow yesterday. But before that, I saw a patch of grass. And we had a bunch of 40 degree + days here in Maine.

You know what happens when it gets even a little bit nicer out, right? All the dogs come out. All. Of. Them.

I don’t know where these dogs come from. All winter long, I’m out walking the same dogs, along the same quiet streets. It’s just us, the mailmen, and a few manic speed walkers on their lunch breaks. We see other dogs too, but it’s the same crew every day. Then spring hits and a tsunami of new dogs hits every neighborhood.

Where are all of these dogs for months and months? Do their people train them to poop in a bucket in the basement until its warm enough for them to go outside again? Do they all have one of these?

I don’t how it works, but it’s the same every year. The temperature goes up just a little bit and suddenly my afternoon walks go from being calm and routine to a game of Donkey Kong.

All of the dogs I walk are reactive to some degree. Many of them have some solid training under their belts and are able to stay relatively calm when we pass by dogs on the street (as long as we have some space). Our walks are pretty laid back all winter and we get to be on autopilot.

But when spring comes and the number of dogs they need to deal with is suddenly 1 billion times higher than what they’ve been dealing with all winter, they struggle a bit. They need a little time to acclimate to the deluge.

And I can see the same thing happening for all the basement bucket poopers too. They’re out and about for the first time in months and, while they might normally be very cool on leash, they’re a hot mess at the beginning of spring.

In my experience, the ability to stay calm on leash around other dogs is like a muscle: If they don’t use it, they lose it. This goes double for reactive dogs.

A lot of people I know are surprised by this. They think that if they take their reactive dogs to a class or two and their dogs improve, then they’re set for life. But in reality, it takes regular practice. You have to keep working at it.

We wouldn’t go to the gym every day for a month, never go back again, but still expect our bodies to stay in shape forever. I have tried this so, so many times and, I swear, it never works. We have to exercise consistently in order to maintain and build our muscles.

“What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.”

That’s why so many reactive dog owners keep going to classes, join group walks, and do other structured activities around other dogs. It allows them to practice in a safe, structured environment around other dogs. It keeps other dogs from becoming a total novelty (aka a really big deal!) to their dogs. And that helps their dogs stay “fit” so that when they’re out taking a walk in a more hectic environment, their dogs are better equipped to handle the challenges that pop up.

If your reactive dog made huge strides for a while, but then you kept them inside most of the winter (that polar vortex was NO JOKE), then you might experience this sort of “muscle atrophy” when you start going for walks again this spring.

Your dogs haven’t flexed their “I totally know what to do when I see another dog and it is NOT to fling my turds at them” muscle for a while. Every dog they see is a novelty and they’re having trouble remembering the game plan. Don’t panic. Your dogs are just out of shape.

No judgement. It happens to all of us.

Same goes for the dogs that have been walking all winter. If they’re anything like the dogs I walk, then they’ve been using those muscles, but at the same low level for months. When springtime hits, it’s like jumping up a few levels on the old stair climber. The dogs need some time to gently reacclimate their muscles to this increased challenge.

So if you and your dogs are a little rusty – for whatever reason – don’t freak out. Spring might be a good time to take a training class to ease back into hanging out with other people and dogs again. Or take a few walks with your friends and their dogs. Or if your dog would be up for it, try a structured group walk. Add some sort of regular practice into your routine.

And don’t forget to bring more treats on your walks for a while. There are at least a gazillion and half more dogs out there, plus joggers, that you’ll want to reward your dog for staying cool around. Be sure your pockets are well stocked. No one said we can’t have a snack while we’re working out. So go ahead: Use it, reward it, keep it.

In the comments tell me: Has this happened with your dogs in the spring or after a dog walking sabbatical? How have you helped them?